By Shaun Orange

Gerard Houllier has weighed into the English football system by suggesting that often players are given big management jobs in the Premiership much too soon.

In a report of the BBC, Houllier said this was not possible in France and name-dropped Bryan Robson, Stuart Pearce and Gareth Southgate as those whom he saw as taking over top managerial jobs before they were ready.

The former Liverpool and Lyon boss compared the situation of players finishing their playing careers and then stepping into the role of manager (at a big club) to that of a “big company putting somebody without experience into a key position in his company”

Laughing off the English way of doing things, he said “but they do (it) in football".

The Frenchman, who was himself linked to the vacant Newcastle post after Sam Allardyce got the boot last month, said he was sure that Robson, Pearce and Southgate “would have liked to go up different steps and to have two or three years as an assistant manager” before assuming the role as boss at one of the top-flight clubs.

Houllier is a highly respected tactician in France (but not equally in England notwithstanding that he won six trophies in his five years at Anfield), and his appraisal of the matter does make some senses. Of course, Robson and company might disagree vehemently.

Robson was axed as Sheffield United manager less than two weeks ago and that after just eight and-a-half months at Bramall Lane.

His spell at West Bromwich Albion lasted a year and-a-half from November 2004, while his tenure at Bradford City spanned just six-and-a-half months from November 2003.

The former Man United star did spend six-and-a-half years at Middlesbrough (May 1994 to December 2000), but he did have Terry Venables at his side for some of that period, and mostly when they were on the floor.

Robson’s plight is perhaps the best one to illustrate Houllier’s point. And for those who might venture that he (Houllier) is off the mark, they should remember that Southgate does not have a UEFA Pro Licence as required to coach in the Premiership, and only does so because of a special dispensation.

Managing a big club is not necessarily for the “old” fellows, but coming through the ranks will no doubt, do anyone’s transition from player to manager a world of good. In makes sense. And in these days of mega bucks being splashed out by clubs in the transfer market, a little wisdom garnered from time spent acting as the number two to the gaffer, will do no-one any harm. On the contrary, it should blood the younger ones for when their time comes.

The argument that seasoned managers are prone to failure just as much as the players stepping from the playing field into the shoes of those behind the boss’ desk does not count here. Houllier is right. Give them a chance to learn the ropes first and then throw them into the deep end, only because if they fail at the start, like Robson, then there is no chance of putting it straight.

It just leads from disaster to another, and that is, despite how many pals you might have at the sole television broadcaster of the Premier League and no matter how much of a plug they give you.

Ask Robson, and let him be honest.

By Shaun Orange

If this were 12 months or a year-and-a-half ago, Tottenham’s victory over Chelsea in the League Cup final would have rightly been viewed as a huge upset, a surprise victory of some mega proportions.

But that’s not the case now. Spurs’ extra-time win at the new Wembley Stadium over their city rivals was half-expected; so therein went the element of surprise.

And the result was no less than Tottenham deserved. They came into this final with a lot more respect given to them than they have received for some time now. And that has been down to an enormous improvement at the club; it embraces not only the presence of Juande Ramos, but all that he stands for.

Spurs are a different team now with a different shape to the one that Martin Jol had in October. Ramos, a coach with a proven record at Seville, where he captured among other trophies, the Uefa Cup last season, has instilled loads of self-belief in this team and it showed against Chelsea.

For the White Hart Lane supporters this victory will taste as sweet as any they have had in the past. But more ominously are the signs that there is a lot more to come from the tact and know-how of Ramos.

The Spaniard has been with these players for just-on four months, and what do we have – the League Cup being paraded through London by the likes of Ledley King and company. The players’ roster is by and large the same as when Jol was in charge; only now Jermaine Defoe is no longer in the squad, King has Jonathan Woodgate as his central defence partner with Alan Hutton at right-back and Darren Bent (a £16.5 million off-season acquisition from Charlton) polishing the bench when the games start.

Ramos’ grand plan is not to win the League Cup alone. This is part of the plot, but he will be scheming of bigger things to target and there is no saying that he won’t do it. Not after a start like this. Consigning Chelsea to defeat in an arena where they dominated with such authority not so long ago will be celebrated with great enthusiasm by the following of Spurs.

Club skipper King spoke of “amazing commitment levels” from their players. He pointed out that for them to come from behind against the Blues and win, clearly illustrates the kind of team spirit that side has now.

He was not wrong. A while back they would probably have been content with a 1-0 or 2-1 defeat and just happy to get the final. But that was year or maybe 18 months ago, or maybe longer; but not now. Now Ramos and his squad will looking to build on this success and the way the Spurs boss is shaping things, the Tottenham fans will expect more of the same in the not too distant. And you can’t blame them. Not after this cup.

By Shaun Orange

There was a time, in fact most of the time, after the mid-80s when Everton were looked upon as the second best team on Merseyside.

The days of when Howard Kendall developed an awesome squad that challenged the more established clubs in England football, and beat them, have been for a long while, just a distance memory. Something that Everton’s fans could fall back on and gloat about when the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and even Liverpool, bragged about trophies won.

But that’s no longer the case. Now the Toffees are a side are in fourth place in the Premiership and looked determined as ever to finish there - or better. They managed a fourth spot finish in the 2004/05 season and this term again look every bit European Champions League material.

They demolished Norwegian side SK Brann 6-1 in the UEFA Cup second leg of the round of 32, which gave them a brilliant 8-1 aggregate and left manager David Moyes in no doubt that they could build on this and finish the season with a big shout.

He said that they received “a great boost from the Uefa Cup and had grown in confidence," and added that they were looking forward to the next round which will be “a big test against Fiorentina “.

The Scotsman also acknowledge that these were “exciting times” for Everton but cautioned that they needed “to hang in there a bit longer” and see if they could go all the way."

They might do so because this team is not made up of a few superstars, hose egos distract the rest of the squad. They stick together and operate as a close-knit unit, which makes them hard to beat.

And while Moyes conceded that while a top-four finish was their priority and that it would not be easy to achieve, given the competition and the others involved in the scrap for the last Champions League berth from the Premier League, fans of the Toffees will know that Moyes will not give up the chase until the curtain comes down on the season.

But despite the squad being a cohesive side with an array of talent, there are a few who standout above the rest, and their hat-trick hero in the second leg against Brann - Ayegbeni Yakubu, is one.

The Nigerian striker deservedly took the man-of-the-match award and also leads Everton’s goal-scoring charts in the Premiership with nine,

Further still, it was nice to hear Andy Johnson, Yakubu’s partner up front, applaud his teammate, whom he said did “brilliantly for the club”

Moyes pointed out that he was pleased with Yakubu’s performances “since he came back into the side”, noting also that he keeps hold of the ball, links play efficiently and works really hard for the team”.

It is these sorts of performances that Everton now often produce and what makes them such a threat to the supposedly Big Four. Perhaps there is no longer a Big Four, but rather a Big Five?

By Shaun Orange

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has a lot of things on his mind and they are more than just about winning football matches. And as would be expected of the Old Trafford chief, some of these things rile him, and really get his blood boiling.

A fine example of this surfaced today when the Red Devils boss ripped into players whom he described as “living in the pockets of their agents”.

Ferguson’s fury comes amidst a showdown between the club and Wes Brown over negotiations about a new contract for the defender.

The Scot added that “agents live their players' lives” and “if you're happy to go along with that then you get the situation we've got just now”.

That Ferguson chose to mention that Brown has been with the club since he was twelve years old, and that he didn’t “think that (a thing like that) matters these days” was an insinuation that today’s players have no loyalty whatsoever.

For all his hair-dryer treatment legacy and shouting down referees and their assistants, Ferguson is right on cue with this lot.

Today’s players have no loyalty to the clubs which make them millionaires overnight and set them and their families up financially for life.

But today’s player would might retort that why should they be loyal, because they are only getting paid by a club while they are still at that club; i.e. when they move to a new club that new club will then pay their wages at the end of the week.

But Ferguson obviously sees this differently. He thinks that the £40,000 a week that he offered Brown to stay at Old Trafford should be accept by the player and then they can all just continue on their way.

He does not realise that the agents whom he castigates are the ones paid by the players to look after the player’s interests; similar to how Man United pay him (millions) to look after the interests of Man United.

Also, in the case of Ferguson, he sees it a bit differently because he considers his squad, assembled by him (alone), to toe the lien whenever and wherever he makes comment, whether its from the touchline or negotiating the renewal of a contract.

Brown is 28 now, and with the advice of his agent Paul Martin is apparently demanding more than £50,000 per week.

His leverage in the matter is two-fold and certainly something with which he can twist Man United for more dough.

He has filled in commendably for the injured Gary Neville since before the season started, something which Ferguson was at pains to concede – he eventually did.

Also the former England fringe player will become a free agent after the end of this season, which allows him to talk to other clubs – something Ferguson despises.

Perhaps what the Man United manager should also realise, without too much difficulty, is that things have changed a lot since he took over at Old Trafford more than 20 years ago.

If he really still cannot come to grasps with the way things work these days, then perhaps he could consult his son, Darren, who is himself player-manager of Peterborough United

. Surely that won’t harm anyone, and it might well help the gaffer figure this one out.

By Shaun Orange

The ambitious plan, or lubricous idea (depending one who you speak to) of the Premier League to play a 39^th game in the season has been treated with the contempt that it deserves.

That it was strung to dry even before the inventors of the scheme spoke to the managers of the clubs concerned and came by a wide cross-section of the world of football, merely confirmed its demise.

The whole idea was driven by financial greed – nothing more and nothing less. Greed. And those who poured scorn on it were within their rights and did the correct thing.

The men in suits who run the game in England were stretching their luck a wee bit too far and they got what they deserved.

The heavyweights who bore down on the Premier League were, among others, the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA).

Sepp Blatter, the president of the world governing body let his feelings be known and he did not take kindly to the Premiership’s self-indulgence. They were ticked off left, right and centre; and good on them for that.

Of course, there was a string of others like Uefa (Union of European Football Associations), whose president Michel Platini, simply laughed off the idea as a non-starter.

Franz Beckenbauer, the big boss of Bundesliga football and mastermind behind German’s successful 2006 World Cup bid, has now also joined the fray and chipped in with his view.

He reckons that if England are to stand any chance of putting forward a successful bid of their own to host the 2018 World Cup finals, then the Premier League “should shelve” the idea of getting their clubs to play the extra game in various cities around the globe, and expend their energies elsewhere.

This is what Beckenbauer said: “If FIFA is against this idea to put Premier League games outside the country, I wouldn't do it. The decision on who gets the World Cup 2018 will happen very soon and England are one of the favourites.”

He added: “At this time I wouldn't be so cocky to go against FIFA. In this period if you want to be the World Cup host you have to get hand-in-hand with FIFA - otherwise you don't get the chance (to host the World Cup).”

What are we supposed to make of this?

Is that, if England were not in the running with a chance to present a successful World Cup bid, then they should go ahead and stage a 39^th league game for each club?

Or is it that the Premier League should refrain from staging the 39^th game until after being awarded the 2018 World Cup finals and then just go ahead and do it then, against the wishes of FIFA?

It just does not make sense. Either way, this is a dire case of hypocrisy. And to think that Beckenbauer is a FIFA executive committee member makes one shudder. These are the big-wigs who run world football and tell the other greedy ones, when to be greedy and when not to be greedy. How do you like that?

By Shaun Orange

Arsene Wenger has achieved at Arsenal what no-one before him at the Gunners could do. He has lifted them to new heights and created a winning mentality unlike any they had experienced.

But more importantly, he has managed to do it while employing an exciting and attacking brand of football – some say the best there is in England.

However, their defeat by Manchester United in the fifth round of the FA Cup was more than just a loss. It was a thrashing of mega proportions that was totally unexpected, given that it was so comprehensive.

Man United won 4-0 and it might have been even worse. All the same, it was a beating that could the London side some time to get over, at least in the domestic game.

Wenger, the shrewd tactician that he is, quickly came out to publicly assure the fans (and his team) that there would be no lingering effects from the demolition job staged by their fierce rivals.

The haste in the Arsenal boss’ trying to put the humiliation behind them was a calculated damage-limitation exercise, and one that, if it does not work, will leave the Gunners more wounded than when they departed from Old Trafford.

Wenger’s assertion that his team would be up for the fight against AC Milan in the first leg of the European Champions League first knockout round tie at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday is hard to grasp. Even the best sides in the world hurt when they get beaten. And when they get beaten like Arsenal did over the weekend, it just hurts that more.

And even now, as Wenger rallies his troops to get up and fight again, the players themselves will surely be feeling the effects of being brutally torn apart by the Red Devils.

Arsenal’s loyal following might point to the 5-1 hammering they suffered at Tottenham in the the League Cup semi-finals, only to go on and open up a five-point lead at the top of the Premiership table.

Their case might indeed have some merit, but from a neutral’s standpoint it remains a tough one to agree with; perhaps even interesting. It will certainly be fascinating to see just well, or otherwise, Arsenal do deal with coming up against Europe’s best a mere five days after being slaughtered by England’s champions.

There is no question that there are some fine professionals in the Gunners’ ranks, who are more than capable of lifting the side after such a heavy beating. But how will the younger lads in the side react.

So far this season they have done exceptionally well and that, for more than any other reason, is why Arsenal are top of the Premier League and looking a smooth bet to go on and claim their first league title since the 2003/04 season.

But another battering, this time at the hands of Milan, could well knock them off their axis and see their whole season disintegrate before their eyes.That is what Wenger’s is trying to avoid with his reassurances. He if he pulls it off, it will merely confirm why he has achieved such a lot in his reign at Arsenal. My guess is they will come unstuck against Milan; I’m almost sure of it.

By Shaun Orange

Liverpool, for all their great history are a deeply troubled club. Add to that the fact that now their manager, Rafael Benitez, is no less a concern for the Reds than the questioned sincerity of their American owners and their wretched form, and you got a real big problem.

Their elimination from the FA Cup, in the fifth round fixture at Anfield on Saturday at the hands of Coca-Cola Championship side Barnsley, merely drove this point home and might well effectively ended the Spaniard’s tenure at England’s most successful club.

They remain an illustrious club, even if they do find themselves in all sorts of bother. But the one underlining factor is that Benitez appears to have lost the plot.

That his contract will be terminated in the off-season and a new incumbent ushered in with the directive to win the Premiership, remains to be confirmed by the Anfield hierarchy. But with the latest debacle it is also one that now looks an almost certainty.

If this embarrassment was to have unfolded when Benitez and the club’s owners – Tom Hicks and George Gillett still at loggerheads with the coach, then he might have enjoyed a reprieved - from the fans, players and media, alike.

However, there is no longer a feud with the management of the team, and if anything Hicks has come out to declare publicly that they support Benitez fully and that he can use the funds he needs to bring in the players he wants (which was his gripe in the first place).

Thus, the 2-1 defeat by Barnsley, whether or not it came by way of an injury-time goal, cannot be accepted. And for those who might argue that it’s “only the FA Cup”, they should be reminded that Liverpool are woefully off the pace in the Premier League – in fact, 19 points (with a game in hand) behind leaders Arsenal, and with a mere 13 games to go to the end of the season.

They also missed out on the League Cup, knocked out by Chelsea and only have the European Champions League to save some face this term.

Even then, this campaign might be extinguished within the next three days. They are down to play Italian champions and joint Champions League favourites Inter Milan in the first leg of the last 16 on Merseyside on Tuesday.

And if Benitez does weave his European magic again, as he did to win the trophy in his first season in Liverpool and then narrowly lose in the final to AC Milan last May, he could still find himself on the dole.

Depending on the patience of Hicks and Gillett, Rafa could find himself unemployed a lot earlier than the end of the season. And given the developments at Anfield this season, that scenario should not be scornfully looked upon. It is indeed, a real possibility. In his post-match remarks, the Spaniard said he was really, really disappointed, and added that it was “difficult to explain”.

Surely the wily coach, who says that he knows a lot about the history of the club and what it means to the fans, will understand that things are just not right at Anfield. And that maybe, it is time for him to walk.

By Shaun Orange

The injury to Ronaldo appears to be quite bad. It certainly looks bad, in fact, bad enough for some to start talking about the Brazilian being unable to play again. That would be a great shame.

AC Milan have been shaken in their boots by the ruptured tendons in Ronaldo’s left knee, sustained after he came on as a substitute in the league game against Livorno. Less than a day later he underwent an operation in Paris, and then came the news, however accurate it might be, that the great Brazilian striker might not play again.

Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti, who took Ronaldo to the San Siro from Real Madrid’s Bernabeu in January 2007 after a troubled spell for the striker, was one of those who came out in total support of the player.

But not everybody is as keen to see Ronaldo back. Others have muttered that maybe it is time for the centre-forward to call it quits and concentrate on something else; or maybe just nothing at all.

Ronaldo’s image has changed somewhat over the last year or so. He has put on quite a bit of weight, and had done so even before his move from Spain. Indeed, his fitness was one of the reasons behind Fabio Capello’s (then the coach at Real) allowing him to leave the Bernabeu.

That aside, Ronaldo has been plagued by injury over the last few years. And when we think that he was out of the game with a knee injury for just on two seasons, leading up to the 2002 World Cup finals in Korea and Japan, one cannot help but imagine that he will fight his back again.

But even if he doesn’t make it, and we have to admit that the possibility is there, Ronaldo probably won’t mind too much about it anyway.

There is not a trophy that the 29-year-old does not have that counts; from the World Cup (2002) and All-Time World Cup goalscorer (15 goals in 19 games in three World Cups) to three FIFA World Player of the Year awards (1996, 1997, 2002), and everything in between.

Perhaps the European Champions League could be said to be the one trophy that he could still do with. But he is not European and anyway he was European Footballer of the Year (Ballon d'Or) in 1997 and 2002.

Financially he will not want for anything, nether will his family. So he is really set for life even if he does not make a comeback as some would want it. But then again, you just never know - he might well be back next season, so we’ll just have to and see … and hope.

By Shaun Orange

Arsenal carved out a gutsy victory over a tough-to-beat Blackburn Rovers outfit on Monday and opened up a five-point lead at the top of the table; making things real interesting in the process.

Manchester United, comprehensively beaten by arch-rivals City (despite how narrow the scoreline might look), must be worried a little, in the least. This is the time of the season when the focus shifts to the run-in and those with the edge are the ones who should be the most confident.

Arsenal certainly are, and manager Arsene Wenger rubbed it in when he suggested after the game that they have been “confident” since day one of this campaign and that they can go on a land the Premiership title.

Given the circumstances, it is difficult to argue with, but it could also prove foolhardy to start the celebrations with twelve games still to go.

Of course, Wenger and his squad are too professional to fall into that sort of trap, and instead the wily Frenchman noted in his post-match remarks that “there's still a long way to go”. Indeed, there is a handful of tricky fixtures still to come that will help shape the league table, come May.

But the position Wenger finds himself in is a pleasant one; yet this is down to not all of his own making. Man United’s capitulation in the face of a determined performance by their city neighbors definitely handed the Gunners the initiative as they prepare for the run-in to the end of the season.

The Red Devils, using the international break as an excuse after they succumbed to the Blues, have only themselves to blame for the London side nosing ahead at this crucial stage in the campaign. However, the Old Trafford club could draw inspiration from the fact that not too many weeks ago it was Arsenal who slipped up and fell behind; however marginal it might seem now.

Chelsea, with their goalless draw with beleaguered Liverpool, did nothing to help their cause. If anything, they saw the chance of a third league crown in four seasons wane somewhat.

With Man United five points behind the league leaders and Chelsea a further three adrift, Avram Grant will know fully well that if they are to continue to harbour aspirations of another Premier League title they cannot afford any more slip-ups; and even then it may well be too late.

Nonetheless, they could and will certainly hope to impact the destiny of the championship crown when they are at home to the Gunners next month (March 23) and Man United visit Stamford Bridge on April 26.

Those two games could prove pivotal to the outcome of the title and might yet make Arsenal’s formidable-looking five-point lead flimsy. 

But the Gunners will not be complaining with the way things went this past weekend and their advantage tucked safely under the arm. Then again, who could blame them; what with all the intensity of this most intriguing league championship on the planet?

By Shaun Orange

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson applauded the bahaviour of the Man City fans in the minute’s silence, observed as a mark of respect for the 23 who died in the Munich Air Disaster of 1958 – ten of them United players and management staff.

It was complimentary of the Old Trafford boss, just as it was a gentlemanly thing to do. More so, after it was anticipated that some unruly fans in the City half would demean the occasion. And with a global television audience watching it would have been a bitter pill to swallow.

No doubt, Sven-Goran Eriksson will also be proud of the mannerism of their supporters and expect more of the same from them as they continue to perform better on the pitch than they have for a few decades now.

But the Swede will be equally chuffed with the result that knocked the wind out of Man United, left the Red Devils on the ropes and installed Arsenal as the favourites to go on and win their first league championship title since the 2003/04 campaign.

The 2-1 victory over the old enemy on Sunday was nothing less than the Blues deserved. It clearly gave notice that this team has not just made an impressive start to the tenure of Eriksson at the City of Manchester Stadium, but are good enough to hold their own at the top end of the table.

City’s performance was such that they led the home team at the Theatre of Dreams 2-0 at half-time. And maybe with a shade more luck and a couple of better bounces they might well have been four-nil in front.

Nonetheless, they duly wrapped up an improbable “double” this season over their arch-rivals. For the Swedish coach, it was a case of three-out-of-three wins over Ferguson; taking into account Eriksson’s triumph over Man United with Lazio in the 1999 European Super Cup.

Zimbabwean striker, Benjani Mwaruwari, had a dream debut for his new club, scoring what turned out to be the winner, and at Old Trafford of all places. Darius Vassell opened the scoring, while Michael Carrick got one back for United, but by then it was much too late.

If there was one thing that stood in this encounter for Man United, then it must be that the cracks in the supposedly impenetrable defence were exposed.

Benjani, the live-wire that he is and the reason why Eriksson coughed up some £4 million (with another £4 million to follow, depending on a number of issue) on the last day of the January transfer window, embarrassed Rio Ferdinand on more than a couple of occasions, badgering him with the guile of an old pro.

Fernandes Gelson, too, took the fight to Man United, and was simply superb in midfield, making a mockery of the illustrious reputations of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs.

For all their wanting, Man United on this day had no reply. The highly-acclaimed (perhaps over-rated) Cristiano Ronaldo was nowhere to be seen, similar to the weekend before when they were stunned by Tottenham, only in that fixture the score was 1-0 for most of the game before they were handed a draw in injury time by an own-goal.

There was no such thing this Sunday and Man United were left to pay for their sloppiness. It was, one could say, just as well that the City fans behaved themselves like they did before the start of the match; because this one, they will enjoy for some time to come.

By Shaun Orange

When Kevin Keegan arrived at St James’ Park in the middle of last month for his second spell as manager of Newcastle United Football Club, the supporters on Tyneside went delirious.

They dubbed it the return of the “Messiah”. He was roundly seen as the man who would turn around the Magpies’ flagging fortunes, following in the wake of Sam Allardyce.

But things have not gone as smoothly as many had anticipated. If anything, they have gone from bad to worse. When “King Kev” took over last month they were 11^th in the Premiership standings. Now, after the 4-1 thrashing on Saturday at the hands of a ruthlessly efficient Aston Villa, they are 13^th on the log.

And sadly for Tyneside, there appears no end in sight for the turmoil at St James’ Park.

Forced to make comment on the situation in the build-up to the visit to Villa Park, Keegan conceded that their results were not what he hoped they would be. Far from it; they look a lame duck right now and unless something extraordinary happens, their slide towards to the relegation zone looks to continue.

The make-up of Keegan’s squad is a useful one. They got of a few players, who are quite handy, but they desperately lack confidence. And one would have to guess that there are some undercurrents within the team that are not helping, perhaps some disgruntlement.

Whatever it is, Keegan needs to sort it out, and quickly at that.

In mitigation, one would have to acknowledge that his takeover has not been as sound as maybe it should have been.

His issues with Michael Owen were dealt with speedily and put to bed immediately – the former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker was made captain.

But the tall shadow of Alan Shearer continues to cast a worrying figure over St James' Park, and his (Shearer’s) take that the club can only have “one man in charge” at a time, is correct, but wholly unwarranted. Needless to say, he turned down a coaching role under Keegan, and will almost certainly feel no sympathy for a manager whom he fell out with sometime ago.

The appointment a couple of weeks or so ago of Denis Wise as Director of Football at St James' Park was another matter that merely added to their plight. His posting is widely seen as flimsy and one that has only brought with in more confusion to a squad already blinded by frustration.

So can Keegan rescue Newcastle and eventually start to turn things around at St James’ Park. My answer would be an emphatic: “No”.

They are too deep in trouble to get anything out of this season, perhaps, only to stave off relegation. And as tough as that may sound, that is the reality of things at St James’ Park.

They are a big club by all standards, but the mess they are in needs someone bigger than Keegan to sort it out.

And go the loyal supporters on Tyneside, they should not forgot that when Keegan left them left them in a lurch the first time, and when he parted company with the England national team and Manchester City, they did not sack him; they never got the chance. He simply walked out each time things got too hot to handle.

Take note, things are getting hot at St James’ Park right now.

By Shaun Orange

There have been two significant issues that took place this week. And, although on a considerably lesser scale, there might yet be another two in store this weekend.

The first was the tribute paid to those who perished in the 1958 Munich Air Disaster that claimed 23 lives – ten of them Manchester United players and management staff.   

The other event of note was the Premiership handing down notice that they intend to take the league overseas and play a 39^th match in a season (from 2010/11) at venues spread across the globe, embracing Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas.

In the first instance, this was soberly adhered to and the correct thing to do. The demise of the likes of Duncan Edwards, who was rapidly developing into one of the games’ most articulate players before his young life was snatched from him, will always be remembered by those with a genuine passion for English league.

When Man United face cross-town rivals Man City in a potentially fiery encounter at Old Trafford on Sunday, the fans who will come out to root for their teams must follow the cue taken by those on Wednesday, and show respect for those who remember from the Munich tragedy.

Calls have been specifically made by both managers, Alex Ferguson and Sven-Goran Eriksson, for the fans to observe a minute’s silence before the game as a show of respect.

However, it is quite likely that some unruly City supporters might take the opportunity to again raise the ugly head of English soccer, in which the (association and club) authorities should identify the culprits and banish them from the game.

The Premier League could themselves find it hard to convince all and sundry that their plan mooted this week to play one extra game in a foreign city is the right thing.

Wholesale accusations of financial greed have been levelled against the Premier League, following them making public their plan to take league games aboard.

While not all are against the idea, many have called for an in-depth investigation into the matter before ratifying it, managers, players, the media and fans, have vilified the league.

The issue of logistics has also profoundly been raised and makes a lot of sense; on face value at least.

No doubt, this matter is far from finished.

The two fixtures on Sunday will close out the weekend’s programme and could cap an absorbing line-up.

In the Manchester derby, the home team will be keen on exacting a measure of revenge after being floored 1-0 at the City of Manchester Stadium in August. And after being held by Tottenham last weekend, which led to Arsenal opening up a two-point gap at the top, things could get quite heated at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, Chelsea will also be hoping to get their championship bid back on track with a win over visiting Liverpool. These two have built up a healthy dislike of each in recent seasons and after Liverpool came so close to chalking up their first league win over the Blues since Rafael Benitez took over at Anfield in 2004, it should again prove a close call.

By Shaun Orange

The Premier League’s announcement that they intend to have each club play an extra match a season at an overseas venue has met with mixed reactions, while others are undecided on whether or not it’s a good idea.

The proposal put before a meeting of the 20 Premiership clubs was that each team, with effect from the 2010/11 season, would figure in 10 matches played in Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas over one weekend in January. And that the results would count towards the league standings.

The league itself, said they saw the move as a positive one and that the “international round is an exciting and innovative proposal”. However, there was caution expressed in that it “needs careful consideration before being introduced”.

But the crux of the matter is that this is just another avenue being explored by the marketing mongers to further bolster their coffers as they look beyond their borders to vend their product.

No grudge held against the Premiership, it is indeed the best league in the world, in terms of excitement and accessibility. It is also the most lucrative and one with the longest history.

But will it be doing the right thing to take their games outside of England.

The answer from most of those within the local game is: No. For many of those outside the UK, this would be a great opportunity to see first-hand the players and a game that they follow week-in and week-out. Thus, it would be most welcome, even if for just one match a season.

There is no denying that this latest development is merely a marketing ploy to make the Premier League richer. And from a monetary standpoint there would be absolutely nothing wrong with it.

However, with the likes of Manchester manager Alex Ferguson, Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger, Anfield boss Rafael Benitez and Everton’s David Moyes, amongst others, all deriding the “exorbitant” number of internationals that the clubs have to put up with each season, this idea could face some strong opposition.

Most of the clubs feel that their players are overloaded with fixtures as it is. So for them to agree with this new idea will only be seen as a contradiction to what they say they stand for.

If they do say it’s good and go with it merely to make more money, then they – starting Ferguson, Wenger, Benitez and Moyes, should remember to keep quiet on the matter of internationals in the future.

The suggestion that the players will be playing for their clubs and not their national teams does not count here, because more often than not, watching an international game such as a World Cup qualifier or friendly between Brazil and England is a welcome break from the Premiership lot serve up (almost) each weekend.

And regardless of what spin the Premier League have put out on their fanciful idea, they can rest assured that they will face some tough opposition, even from within their own ranks. Already one supporters’ organisation has labelled the plan “ludicrous and disrespectful to the traditions of the English”.

There is no doubt in my mind that UEFA and FIFA will also take some convincing; even if this is about making money.

By Shaun Orange

There appears to be something seriously wrong with the mind of Didier Drogba. It is either that or he only plays his best football when engrossed by controversy.

But it can’t be that, because normal human beings are not known to function efficiently - mentally or physically, when they are preoccupied with other things.

Simply said, this centre forward of note cannot be in terrific form while embroiled in matters that would floor lesser players; the kind that he finds himself in right now.

When one considers that he is at the African Nations Cup and captain of the Ivory Coast, joint favourites to win the biennial trophy, it makes for boggling stuff.

Yet despite this, the 29-year-old - one of the best strikers in world football, seems find to no problem with blending his moaning and groaning with displays of highest calibre, whether it be in England or on the African continent.

Going into the Nations he had just come off an injury layoff. And then last weekend, he and his agent found it an opportune time to tell Spain's biggest selling sports newspaper, Marca, that next season he wants out at Stamford Bridge and is desperate to switch to the Bernabeu Stadium of Real Madrid.

And for those who thought that this was unbecoming of a player who was held in such high regard by Chelsea, whether or not Jose Mourinho is there, there is still more to digest.

A couple of days ago, when the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) handed Mali's Seville forward Frederic Kanoute the continent's Player of the Year award, Drogs threw his toys out of the cot again, and cried foul.

The West Africa ace told the BBC: "I was told if I didn't appear (at the awards ceremony in Togo) the rules would change and the prize would go to the runner-up. If I refused to go to Lome it was first for my teammates, as you don't organise such an event just two days before a quarterfinal (of a Nations Cup clash with Guinea). This attitude doesn't honour Africa so I've pulled out of future elections."

That's right. Drogba now insists he will not be party to any future African Football of the Year awards. How long he will hold out on that is another matter of conjecture. The other thing, of course, we are all not sure if he would be short-listed anyway.

Nonetheless, his public outbursts is nothing short of yet another show of disrespect for those who helped him to get where he is today - the top of the game and living like a king.

As smart as he is, the Chelsea striker said: "We're all working for the African continent (trying to improve things and make it better)."

But if he really believes what he says, then surely Mr. Drogba will know than to start shouting his mouth off again. If he wants to make things good for African football, he could quite easily (formally or informally) approach the hierarchy of continental soccer and present his case, maybe through his agent, whom we all know has no problem getting his voice heard.

The boy has got to start changing his ways; if not, many will continue to believe that he is mentally not all there.

By Shaun Orange

Not often do teams come face to face with champions Manchester United and leave Alex Ferguson’s side wounded like Tottenham did on Saturday night.

The result was a 1-1 draw, and Spurs, who were at home, played with such verve that it will have left no-one in doubt they are slowly transforming themselves into a squad that is going to take some beating.

In contrast, Man United’s campaign to retain the Premiership title stuttered with two points dropped and had Arsenal go two points clear at the top of the standings.

Venting his fury, Ferguson said “for Manchester United it's not right. There is something wrong when Manchester United get seven bookings.”

Well, there was a lot truth in his statement, but while he pointed out that referee Mark Clattenburg was to blame for their well-below-par showing, it was in fact a case of gross indiscipline on the part of his players that had them on the ropes for almost the entire game.

Man United’s star-studded line-up – Ronaldo included, could not match the determination and excellent organisation of Spurs, and only a time-added-on goal, claimed by Carlos Tevez (although Michael Dawson later also said it came off him), saved the Premier League champions from defeat.

Given the scenario at the top-end of the league, this result will have felt like defeat for Man United. For Spurs, they will also mourn it as a great chance to have beaten the Old Trafford side but they too consolidated their growing reputation under Spaniard Juande Ramos, who took over in October. They will surely look to their performance with immense pride and build on it in the run-in to the end of the season.

Man United are no doubt good enough to come back after this and immediately get their bid for a 10^th Premiership crown back on track next weekend, but the White Hart Lane showdown will have harmed their cause considerably.

They picked up seven yellow cards, something which automatically brings with it censorship from the Football Association.

Ferguson, we suspect will by now have left his players in doubt about what he thought of them and how they played.

Nonetheless, Man United must come to the realisation that some teams, or most teams, like Tottenham play above themselves when they clash with the most celebrated football club in England.

The tempo in the Spurs game was raised to such an extent that Ronaldo, the most influential player in the league at the moment, looked very ordinary with the way Tom Huddlestone ran him into the ground.

The Portuguese star was nowhere near as threatening as we know he can be, but only because Huddlestone and company did not give him the opportunity to roam as freely as he likes.

That inevitably led to frustrations boiling over in Man United’s ranks, and Ronaldo was booked. So too was Wayne Rooney and five other teammates.

In particular, Rooney’s yellow card for diving – something akin to cheating - underscored why Man United were such a sorry sight at White Hart Lane.

Man United were bamboozled by a confident Spurs outfit and must now put this encounter behind them without delay and get on with the task at hand; if only because Arsenal are showing no signs of letting up on their own superb form.